"REAR NAKED CHOKE" James Grayford 1626 North Wilcox Avenue #482 Los Angeles, CA 90028 323.807.8599 [email protected] 1. INT. REGIONAL MMA - OCTAGON -- NIGHT We pull back from a mouthguard emblazoned with the words REAR NAKED CHOKE, reveal TED DE LEON, mid 20's, Latin. Ted raises 4 ounce gloves, trades blows with his OPPONENT, 20's. This is regional pro MMA. Smaller crowds, weathered canvas. Draped banners display local sponsors. The bell rings and the fighters return to their corners. CLEVON ALVARADO, 40's, slides a stool beneath Ted. CLEVON You're doing great, kid. How you feel? Like an Aztec? Clevon glances to the stands. DIEGO VELASQUEZ, 40's, suit, paunch, sits with a group of PROMOTERS. INT. REGIONAL MMA - STANDS -- NIGHT Through the door enters CHARLIE UNO, 50's, Caucasian, fat cigar, Don King persona. PROMOTER #1 The man's here. They rise to greet him. PROMOTER #1 Charlie, this is Diego Velasquez. Charlie sits. CHARLIE UNO You want in? VELASQUEZ Very much sir, yes. CHARLIE UNO (opening his hands toward ring) Then make us some money. INT. REGIONAL MMA - CAGE & STANDS -- NIGHT Grandstanding, Velasquez rises, points at his watch. Clevon sees it, turns to Ted. CLEVON You know what time it is? (CONTINUED) 2. CONTINUED: Staring at the ground, Ted nods. CLEVON Hey. Hey, listen to me... Clevon looks him dead in the eyes. CLEVON You got two fights left on your contract. Do this, you're out. You can make it to the show, Ted. No one has to know. Ted doesn't answer. CLEVON Submit him - you'll never fight pro again. Velasquez'll hold onto your contract, man. Clevon removes the stool, exits the cage. The Ref starts the next round. Ted heads past us, goes at the Opponent. They spar as Ted cranks up the pace, throws a series of combinations, gets him against the cage. They grapple, lock up. Ted takes him down to the canvas, his Opponent's in full guard. Ted glances at Clevon, then Velasquez. Everything SLOWS WAY DOWN as Ted loosens his grip, allows himself to be reversed. The other fighter takes Ted's back, begins working him. Ted struggles, sees the crowd, the Ref. Suddenly, everything SPEEDS BACK UP as Ted reverses, rolls himself backwards, gets his hooks into a rear naked choke and pulls with all he's got. Clevon lowers his head as the Opponent strains to free himself. It's no use - Ted's locked in - forces him to tap out. The CROWD GOES WILD. Ted releases, lays on his back as the Ref rushes in. INT. REGIONAL MMA - STANDS -- NIGHT Charlie Uno rises, bites hard on his cigar, gives Velasquez a sneer, files past with the other Promoters. Velasquez watches them descend the stairs, drawing his eye to the Octagon. 3. INT. REGIONAL MMA - OCTAGON -- NIGHT We stare down at Ted, still on his back, lungs heaving, hands behind his head, taking in what he's done. EXT. BRUISER'S MMA GYM -- DAY "TEN YEARS LATER" Cold and rain. Wind gusts against a rickety sign - BRUISER'S MMA. Open windows release the sweat and body heat. INT. BRUISER'S MMA GYM -- DAY A mop slaps on the ground and soapy water runs along the floor. At the end of the handle is Ted, now in his late 30's. Creases 'round the eyes betray his former boyishness. Rundown, yet functional, the gym supports a sectioned off area of mats where YOUNG STUDENTS in Gis learn from an INSTRUCTOR. Other areas have weight lifting equipment, heavy bags, mats for advanced grappling. A boxing ring's tucked into the corner. It's here Clevon trains SALVADOR, 18, a young fighter. MMA gloves slam into punch mitts as they dodge about the ring. Clevon's padded up, takes hits from hands, feet, knees. CLEVON Good, good, good. Okay, let's get on the mats. Clevon steps back, removes the mitts, glances at Salvador. CLEVON What? Your ground game's horrible. SALVADOR I punch like a train. CLEVON Yeah? Then ride one. This is MMA, son. It takes more than one trick to win the pony. Ah, what's the use? Clevon climbs out of the ring. SALVADOR Hey, where you going? (CONTINUED) 4. CONTINUED: CLEVON Away from you. (under his breath) White belt... Salvador turns to Ted mopping below. SALVADOR Mind the floor there, Johnny Time. Clevon spins. CLEVON Who you talkin' to, huh, white belt? You got no ground game. You wanna be a fighter? You wanna make it to the UFC? TED Clevon- CLEVON The kid sucks on the canvas. He can barely hold his own in the ring. (to Salvador) Tell you what - you submit this guy - you train for free. A few FIGHTERS take notice, drift over. TED I don't have any gloves. A pair hit his chest. TED I really gotta do this? SALVADOR C'mon, Mr. Clean, put your money where your spic and span is. Clevon points at the ring. Reluctantly, Ted rolls into it. Clevon blows the whistle. They begin sparring. INT. BRUISER'S MMA GYM - ENTRANCE -- DAY Through the door walks Velasquez and his obese son JAIME, 14, both dressed in fine suits. Velasquez notices Ted in the ring, snickers to himself. (CONTINUED) 5. CONTINUED: BRUISER VILLAFINA, 60's, the Gym Owner, exits the office. BRUISER Velasquez? Bruiser tries to stop Velasquez. BRUISER Lemme call him into the office. Velasquez tosses him an envelope, smiles, heads to the ring. VELASQUEZ Conquer or be conquered, Bruiser. Bruiser glances at Jaime who raises a defiant eyebrow as he follows his father. INT. BRUISER'S MMA GYM - BOXING RING -- DAY Salvador throws a few jabs, smiles at the other fighters when - BAM! - Ted catches him, knocks him back. Dazed, Salvador tries to regain composure but Ted takes him down, flips to side control, transitions into an arm bar. Salvador grits his teeth, taps out. Clevon, smiles proudly. CLEVON (to himself) I taught you that. A moment later, some expensive shoes step into frame. The shine of new leather next to Clevon's sneakers - worn out, creased, ripped, taped. Velasquez stands next to him. From the ring, Ted looks over Velasquez' shoulder, finds Bruiser. Ashamed, Bruiser averts his eyes. Velasquez beams. Ted climbs out of the ring. CLEVON He needs this job. VELASQUEZ Yeah? How bad? (to Ted) C'mere. Ted steps over as Velasquez takes the mop from the bucket. Water drips on the floor. He swings, Ted catches it. (CONTINUED) 6. CONTINUED: Velasquez pulls on the handle. VELASQUEZ I heard you needed this job? Reluctantly, Ted releases the mop. Velasquez scans the roomful of hungry fighters. VELASQUEZ I am Diego Velasquez. And now I own this dump. If you want to fight, if you want to have a shot someday, then you'll have one point of view: mine. This is what happens when you stray from it. (to Ted) Still a single dad? Ted deflates. Velasquez slaps the mop into his face, it knocks him down. VELASQUEZ Go on, Mijo. As Ted struggles to his feet, Jaime spits on him. JAIME You're fired! Now, get out! Ted rises. Clevon nods for him to leave. Ted makes his way through the gym as Jaime burrows back into Daddy. VELASQUEZ (to Clevon) You talk Bruiser into hiring him? Paying him cash? CLEVON You been kicking him to the curb the past ten years. He didn't have no place else to go. VELASQUEZ You're back to working for me, Clevon. Got it? Clevon nods as Velasquez strokes Jaime's head. VELASQUEZ Yeah, Clevon knows who El Jefe is. 7. EXT. BRUISER'S MMA GYM -- DAY We're way up, looking down at the street. So high, the rain drops seem like cannon balls. Ted exits, quickly followed by Bruiser. EXT. BRUISER'S MMA GYM - STREET -- DAY BRUISER Teddy?!? Teddy, wait! Bruiser catches up. BRUISER He gave me a good price. I'm sure 'cause of you. TED Yeah? How'd he know I worked there? BRUISER I'm getting old, Ted. Bruiser extends a roll of cash. TED Keep it. Bruiser extends it again. TED Will it make you feel better if I take it? Bruiser nods. Ted leans into him. TED Then keep it. Ted walks away. EXT. MAIN STREET -- EVENING It's getting dark. The sidewalks bustle as open store fronts sell inexpensive clothes, knock off electronics. STREET VENDORS hawk pirated Blu-Ray's, batteries, food. We pick up Ted in the crowd. He stops at a store, checks out a toy doll, smiles briefly until it fades and his attention turns to a pair of kid's shoes. He wants to buy the toy - needs to buy the shoes. (CONTINUED) 8. CONTINUED: We TRACK ACROSS a brick wall as he disappears into the store. MATCH CUT TO: EXT. MAIN STREET -- EVENING We TRACK ACROSS the brick wall as Ted exits with a small black plastic bag, crosses the sidewalk, hops on a bus. EXT. RUNDOWN BUILDING -- EVENING Ted gets off the bus, turns a corner. Down the block, LOURDES MORALES, 40's, and a POLICEMAN place Ted's daughter, CALLIE DE LEON, 12, into the back of a patrol cruiser. Lourdes gets in beside her and the cruiser takes off. Ted breaks into a sprint, but he's too far away. As the cruiser disappears, Ted slows down, stands in the street. Alone. SECURITY GUARD (O.S.) I keep telling you, you gotta come back in the morning. INT. SOCIAL SERVICES -- NIGHT Still holding the plastic bag, Ted argues with a portly SECURITY GUARD, 50's, sitting behind the front desk.